Clip



M. RACHLIN April 22, 1941.

CLIP

Filed April 2, 1940 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 lz,239,46f8

UNITED STATES PATENTcOFFICE CLIP Max Rachlin, Flushing, N. Y.

Application April 2, 1940, Serial No. 327,539

6 Ciaims.

This invention relating as indicated to a clip is more particularly directed to a clip adapted to engage the rolled edge of an eaves trough and to hold the eaves trough in firm engagement with an eaves trough support. Stated briefiy, it is one object of the invention to maintain a gutter in close contact with a gutter circle by means of a spring clip. This spring clip is so formed as to be easily slipped under the usual hook located upon |the outer edge of a. gutter circle after which the clip is adapted to be pressed by hand over the bead on the glitter.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a clip with two hook portions each of which is formed by smooth rounded bends of wire so that all danger of the installer cutting his iingers is eliminated.

In the prior art clips have been formed with two hooks but these terminated in cut ends of material such as wire, which has a tendency to dig into the fingers of the installer. The out ends are further objectionable since they have a tendency to rust very quickly. This is due to the fact that the raw or cut edge has no plating metal thereon.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a double hook which extends downwardly into the gutter so that it cannot be easily removed When water freezes in the gutter and ice exerts an upward force.

It is another object of the invention to provide a spring clip with overlapping ends whichare adapted to engage the outer hook on Ithe gutter circle, the overlapping ends imparting double Strength since they act in unison.

It 4is a more detailed object of the invention toprovide a clip which has four gutter bead engaging portions, the innermost two of which snugly and tightly engage the bead and the outermost pair of which have portions spaced a short distance from the top of the head, as shown in Figure 4.

It is another object of the invention to provide a clip which is usable with various gutters and gutter circles, or in other words, where the distance from the top of the gutter bead to the under portion of the gutter hook varies.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clip which can be installed by hand.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly poin-ted out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail one product, constituting, however,

but one of various applications of the principles of my invention.

n said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section showing a gutter firmly secured to a gutter circle by means of my improved clip.`

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on line 4-11 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the clip.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a modied form of the invention.

Referring now to .the drawing and more particularly to Figure 5 it will be seen that I have provided a clip comprising a single piece` of wire, this wire being bent at one of its ends into a V-shape and at its other end into a similar V- ,shape The clip is formed by first bending the part 2 with respect to the part I in order to`form a V. The part 3 in the form of a segment of a circle joins the part 2 and the` upwardly extending arm 4. The arm 4 merges into the curved part 5 which is adapted to rest immediately over the upper portion of the bead B of the gutter G. The rounded portion 6 extends well down into the inside of the gutter to form one of the hooks. Another rounded portion v'l is adapted to immediately overlie a-nd snugly engage the .top of the bead B. A short arm `8 exten'ds downwardly and the wire is then bent .at right angles to form the horizontally extending connecting portion 9. Thus far one-half of the hook has been described and it will be noted Vthat the other half is identical with the portions described above. The short arm extends upwardly and merges into the curved bead engaging portion li. This portion then extends downwardly to form the rounded hook portion i2. It is .to be noted that both of the hooks 6 and [2 are Smooth and rounded so that there is no danger whatever of the tinner or roofer injuring his fingers. A rounded portion 13 is adapted to overlie the upper portion of the bead B and this merges into a downwardiy extending arm M. The arm I4 is extended to form a segment of a circle 15 and the wire is then reversely bent into a V portion comprising the legs IE and H. It is desired to call par'ticular attention to the fact that leg IS coincides with leg I throughout the full extent of leg i and also that leg 2 overlaps and coincides with leg H throughout the full extent of leg I'l.

' This results in an unusually strong clip havingl i double strength. In addition, the V portions formed by such overlapping legs are adapted to engage the hook such as 18 on the gutter circle C and this engagement will take place throughout a range of distances between hool: 13 and the bead B. This Will be seen to be true from an inspecticn of Figure 2 since the arms 14 and 4 are practically fixed and the rounded portions 3 and 1-5 may flex downwardly a considerable extent. This flexing, however, will not alfect the grip of the -V portions under the hook. 18 and `the hook 18 may therefore be located at various distances from the bead B.

In Figure 3 the portion 1 I will be seen to snugly i engage the bead B and this is true of the portion l. The portion 13, however, is spaced slightly from and above the bead B as shown in Figure 4 and the same is true of the portion 5. Stated in other Words, the innermost hook arms are adapted to snugly engage the bead whereas the outermost hook arms are adapted to engage the bead at spaced locations.

The manner of installing the clip may be briefly described as follows:

The gutter G is seated in the gutter circle C with its plain edge under hook 19. The clip is next inserted under the hook 18, that is, the overlapping V portions have their lowermost parts or the neck portion of the V under the hook.

The clip is then pressed by hand over the rounded bead and slipped into place, easily and quickly. In actual tests I have found that the clip may be readily slipped onto the bead by hand. I have also found that the clip is operable with various sizes of gutter circles using the same size of gutter.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided .a clip formed of a single piece of wire and that the hook portions that eXtend into the gutter are formed of rounded It is desired to call particular attention to the fact that I have provided two return hooks 11 and "1 which clamp or anchor on the outside of the bead B and two other hooks 5 and 13 which clamp or anchor on the inside of the bead B. This provides four anchorages which is new as far as I am aware since gutter hooks of the prior art have only one or two anchorages. My clip is therefore stiffened and has double the resistance of previous hooks. The four hook portions clamp or anchor the relative parts over a much wider area than hooks of the prior art which results in holding the gutter bead B more snugly and securely against the gutter circle C.

It will be observed that any ice pressure against the inner hooks or against the inside of the gutter is resisted by the anchorage obtained by the outer hooks, thus preventing unseating of the clips and distor-tion of the gutter bead B,

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or their equivalent be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A clip for fastening an eaves trough to an eaves trough support comprising a single piece of spring material bent to form two hook portions, a pair of arms extending downwardly and away from said hook portions, and then extending upwardly toward said portions and then eX- tending in hook shaped terminal portions, said smooth metal which cannot cause injury to an installer. It will also be seen that the hook portions of my clip extend well into the gutter, thus eliminating any possibility of removal by ice forming in the gutter.

It will be seen that there are no raw cutting edges exposed to the weather, thus eliminating the -rusting and rapid deterioration. In addition, it will be seen that my clip possesses a double strength over clips of the prior art since two overlapping V hooks engage the hook on the gutter circle.

Finally, it will be seen that my clip may be readily placed in permanent position by hand which is believed to be extremely advantageous since these clips are installed by a workman standing on a ladder at relatively high elevation. The installer can hold on to the ladder with one hand and by placing my clip in the palm of his other hand it is then merely necessary to push or press upwardly in one Operation. This causes the V portions to engage under the hook 18 on circle C and as the pushing continues the four hooks snap over the gutter B. This completes the job in o-ne Operation whereas on other hooks it is necessary to first place one hook over the gutter bead B and then under the outer hook 118 on the circle C and then the workman must move his hand very carefully over to the other hook Without releasing the hook at any time. Finally, the other hook is then bent upwardly and snapped into place. If, however (due to unsteady position on the ladder), the installer's hand leaves the hook at any time the clip will drop to the ground.

hook shaped terminal portions overlying each other and having parts thereof extending in par.. allel abutting relationship.

2. A clip for fastem'ng an eaves trough to an eaves trough support comprising a single piece of spring material bent to form two hook portions, a pair of arms extending downwardly and away from said hook portions, and then extending upwardly toward said portions and then extending in V shaped terminal portions, said V shaped portions overlying each other, and both being adapted to engage a part of said eaves trough support.

3. A clip for fastening an eaves trough to an eaves trough support comprising a single piece of spring material bent to form two hook portions, a pair of arms extending downwardly and away from said hook portions, and then extending in an arc upwardly toward said portions and then extending in hook shaped terminal por- .tions, and another pair of arms eXtending' downwardly from said hook portions, and being joined by a substantially straight portion, said straight portion and last named armsV being adapted to snugly engage the bead of said eaves trough, said last named arms being substantially parallel to said first named arms.

4. A clip for fastening an eaves trough to an eaves trough support comprising a single piece of wire bent to form two double hook portions that are adapted to extend over and downwardly into a gutter, each of said double hook portions comprising spaced, substanti-ally parallel portions of said Wire, connected by an arcuate portion, such arcuate portion being rounded and smooth thus preventing injury to an installer.

5. A clip for fastening an eaves trough to an eaves trough support comprising a single piece of wire bent to form two hook portions that are adapted to extend downwardly into a gutter, other portions of said wire, being adapted to extend outside of said gutter, said other portions including the free ends of said wire, one free end of said wire having a hook shape end overlapping and coinciding With the other free end and parts of said ends extending in parallel and abutting relationship.

6. A clip for fastening an eaves trough to an eaves trough support comprising a single piece of Spring material bent to form two hook portions, a pair of arms extending downwardly and away from said hook portions, each of said arms merging4 into a portion that is curved and each of such curved portions merging into a reversely bent upwardly Opening V- shaped portion.

MAX RA'CHLIN. 

